- Corners are my nemesis too—seriously, why do they always find a way to leak?
- I tried the butyl tape trick once and made a mess, but maybe I just need more practice (or less coffee).
- Drying times... ugh. I once sat there with a hairdryer for an hour before realizing I was just making it worse.
- Lately, I’ve been using painter’s tape to get cleaner lines with the brush, but it’s not perfect.
- Patience is definitely not my strong suit, but I guess that’s part of the DIY journey, right?
- Corners are the worst, right? I swear, no matter how careful I am, there’s always a tiny spot that ends up leaking.
- Butyl tape is so sticky—last time I tried it, I got more on my hands than on the wall. Maybe it’s one of those things that gets easier with practice (or maybe we just need better gloves).
- Drying times test my patience every single time. I’ve definitely tried to speed things up with a fan and just ended up blowing dust everywhere... not my smartest move.
- Painter’s tape helps a bit, but sometimes it pulls up the paint if I leave it too long. Still better than freehand for me though.
- Patience is tough, but honestly, seeing less water in the basement after a rainstorm makes all the hassle feel worth it.
Has anyone tried those corner sealing kits they sell at hardware stores? Wondering if they’re actually easier or just another gimmick.
I totally get the frustration with corners—those are always where I find leaks too, no matter how careful I am. I did try one of those corner sealing kits last year (the kind with pre-formed pieces and special adhesive). It was less messy than butyl tape, but honestly, lining it up perfectly in an old basement wasn’t as easy as the packaging made it look. If you’re dealing with uneven surfaces, you still need to do a bit of patching and smoothing beforehand. For me, a combo of the kit and some flexible caulk worked better than just tape alone. Not perfect, but definitely cut down on the drips.
I hear you on the corner kits—lining those up in basements with wavy old concrete is just... not what the packaging promises. But I actually had better luck with liquid sealants, especially the kind that self-levels a bit and seeps into cracks. You mentioned,
I wonder if caulk alone, but with a mesh reinforcing tape underneath, would be even more adaptable? The mesh seems to give it a little structure and helps with those tricky angles. Curious if anyone else has tried it, since in my last project, it made a noticeable difference compared to rigid pre-formed pieces."a combo of the kit and some flexible caulk worked better than just tape alone."
But I actually had better luck with liquid sealants, especially the kind that self-levels a bit and seeps into cracks.
Funny you mention mesh tape under caulk—I actually tried that last winter after getting tired of those rigid corners popping up. The mesh does seem to help, especially around those weird angles where nothing sits flush. I wouldn’t say it’s a miracle fix, but it’s definitely more forgiving than the pre-formed stuff. Only thing is, if your basement walls are super uneven, you still end up chasing little gaps here and there. Still, for the price and flexibility, it’s hard to beat. I’d take that over just tape any day.
